Course Program

Shape the shot: fade or draw with short irons

Perfect short iron arc, for a 35-handicap player, ~30 minutes at Sunkist Country Club

Driving RangeAll teesProgram HCP 355 drills30% match to course practice profile

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

25 to 45

Average HCP

35

Duration (single session)

2 hr 35 min

or

1 drill/day: 5 days · 31 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Precision30%
Trajectory30%
Mechanics27%
Scoring7%
Aim5%

Overview

Program Structure

Shape the shot: fade or draw with short irons. Perfect short iron arc and control short iron height. Focus on Precision, Trajectory, Mechanics. For a 35-handicap player, in ~30 minutes.

Skill

Trajectory

Club

Short irons (9,8)

What you will improve

  • Precision
  • Trajectory
  • Mechanics
  • Scoring

Program details

Sessions
5 focused drills
Recommended
2–3 sessions / week
Total duration
2 hr 35 min
or
1 drill per day
5 days · 31 min/day

Drill Framework

Program breakdown

Each drill is designed to prepare you for the course. Follow the program or repeat the drills to improve key areas of your game.

01

Short irons (9,8) | Low/Mid/High Shot

Driving Range

Produce low/mid/high shots using short irons only. Hit one bucket of ~50 balls.

31 minFocus: Driving Range
Diagram for Short irons (9,8) | Low/Mid/High Shot
1

Pick one target suitable for short irons (9 or 8 iron).

2

Use the same ball setup and position for all shots.

3

Hit 36 shots in 3 groups of 12: 12 low shots, 12 mid shots, and 12 high shots, all aimed at the same target.

4

Try to make each shot fly at the correct height: low, mid, or high.

5

Count shots that land close and stop near the target as successes.

6

After all 36 shots, total your successful shots and enter your score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520151285
02

Short irons (9,8) | Downswing

Driving Range

Work only on downswing using short irons only. Hit one bucket of ~50 balls.

31 minFocus: Driving Range
Diagram for Short irons (9,8) | Downswing
1

Pick a flag or target on the driving range suitable for short irons (9 or 8).

2

Take 36 shots using only the 9 or 8 iron.

3

Focus solely on your downswing, using at most two swing thoughts or tasks to control the ball flight.

4

Aim at the same single target for all 36 shots.

5

Count each ball that lands and stays near the target as a success.

6

Add up the number of successful shots out of 36 and enter the score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129272419151174
03

Short irons (9,8) | Takeaway

Driving Range

Work only on takeaway using short irons only. Hit one bucket of ~50 balls.

31 minFocus: Driving Range
Diagram for Short irons (9,8) | Takeaway
1

Set up a single target suitable for your 8 or 9 iron.

2

Hit 36 shots aiming exclusively at this target.

3

Focus on your takeaway, working on at most two takeaway thoughts or tasks to influence the ball flight.

4

Keep your setup and stance consistent throughout the drill.

5

After each shot, check if the ball lands near the target.

6

Count the shots that land near the target as successes.

7

After 36 shots, enter your number of successes in the app out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028252218141174
04

Short irons (9,8) | Impact and Follow Through

Driving Range

Work only on impact and follow through using short irons only. Hit one bucket of ~50 balls.

31 minFocus: Driving Range
Diagram for Short irons (9,8) | Impact and Follow Through
1

Pick a flag or marker on the range suitable for your 8- or 9-iron shots.

2

Hit 36 shots, all aiming at the same target.

3

Focus on good contact and smooth swings with your 8- or 9-iron.

4

Set up the ball the same way every time.

5

After completing all 36 shots, count how many balls landed within a 5-foot area around the target.

6

Enter your score out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score2927252218141074
05

Short irons (9,8) | Opposite Shots Challenge

Driving Range

Complete the Opposite Shots Challenge using short irons only. Hit one bucket of ~50 balls.

31 minFocus: Driving Range
Diagram for Short irons (9,8) | Opposite Shots Challenge
1

Pick one target on the driving range for short irons (9 or 8 iron).

2

Break the test into 4 groups of 9 shots (36 total shots).

3

In each group, hit alternating pairs of opposite shot types: fade/draw, high/low, pull/fade, push/draw.

4

Hit 5 pairs, but drop 1 shot from the last pair so each group is 9 shots.

5

Use only 9 or 8 irons with the same ball setup for every shot.

6

Try to make each shot land near the target and curve the right way.

7

Count as a success if the shot matches the shape and lands near the target.

8

Do all 4 groups for a total of 36 shots.

9

Add up your successful shots out of 36 attempts and enter the total in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825211612853

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

Start the drills at your own pace or work with a coach to inside drills.golf.